1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation console functioning as a user interface and, more specifically, to an operation console providing two or more methods of operation (for example, a gesture operation/non-gesture operation (touch operation as will be described later)) for one operation device (touch-panel display) that accurately satisfies an operation request by the user. Further, the present invention relates to an electronic device and an image processing apparatus provided with such an operation console, as well as to an operation method.
2. Description of the Background Art
As one type of image processing apparatuses as electronic device, image forming apparatuses forming images on recording paper (typically, copy machines) are introduced to many places of business (companies and offices). In such a place of business, it has become increasingly common to connect an image forming apparatus having a printer function or a copy function to a network, to allow use (sharing) by a plurality of users. A multifunction peripheral (MFP) as one type of such image forming apparatuses has a plurality of basic operation modes such as a copy mode, a facsimile mode (hereinafter “facsimile” may also be denoted as FAX or fax), a network-supported printer mode and a scanner mode. In such an image forming apparatus, each user selects an operation mode and sets a function of duplex (two-sided) printing or collective printing (such as 2-in-1 by which two pages of an original document are printed on one sheet, or 4-in-1 by which four pages of an original document are printed on one sheet), whereby images are formed on sheets of paper in a desired manner. Appropriate combinations of these functions come to be more frequently used.
When a user uses such an image forming apparatus, for example, the user inputs image data in the scanner mode, performs image processing (such as collection) by inputting various instructions through an operation panel, and prints the results on a sheet of recording paper. In such a situation, the operation panel, serving as an operation and display unit, functions as an interface between the image forming apparatus and the user. Generally, on the operation panel, a screen image for setting functions in each operation mode is displayed, so that the user can easily set various functions. Further, while a job is being executed, job progress status may be displayed, to allow the user to easily grasp the progress status of the job. In the printer mode executed upon reception of data from an external device, the job progress status may be displayed in accordance with the data received from the external device as a source.
Recently, a touch-panel display having a touch-panel overlapped on a liquid crystal panel (display panel) comes to be increasingly used as such an operation panel. By way of example, items (software buttons) allowing selection of an operation mode of the image forming apparatus are displayed on the touch-panel display, the user viewing the display presses a position of an item displayed on the touch-panel display (presses a software button), and the operation mode is set.
Such a touch-panel display having both the display and operation functions is advantageous in that it eliminates the necessity of providing a display unit and an operation unit separately. Further, it attracts attention recently since a command can be selected advantageously in accordance with the user's sense, when it is adapted such that a command can be selected in accordance with a trajectory of pressing of the touch-panel display by the user's finger. Examples of such command selection using finger trajectory include the following.
When a plurality of pages are displayed on the touch-panel display as print previews, the following operations may be performed. By a user operation of lightly tapping twice (hereinafter also referred to as double-tapping) a position of a certain page displayed as a preview, a command to display the page in an enlarged or reduced size can be selected. By a user operation trajectory of expanding a space between two fingers (hereinafter also referred to as pinch-out or pinch-open), a command to display the page in an enlarged size can be selected, and by a user operation trajectory of reducing a space between the two fingers (hereinafter also referred to as pinch-in or pinch-close), a command to display the page in a reduced size can be selected. In the following, these operations are denoted as gesture operations. The gesture operations are not limited to the above, and may include: tapping, or lightly touching an item displayed on the touch-panel display; dragging, or sliding an item with a finger; flicking, or lightly sweeping an item to scroll; and pinching with two fingers. Strictly speaking, the tapping and double-tapping are not detected by the user operation trajectory on the touch-panel display (not the trajectory but simply a position is detected). However, in the present invention, any operation for detecting the user's request based on the operation trajectory of the user to the touch-panel display, including tapping and double tapping, will be referred to as a gesture operation, in consideration of the relation with other gesture operations. The user request may include a change in the manner of displaying a preview (for example, simple enlargement) and a change of print setting (for example, not a simple enlarged display but copying operation with the size enlarged).
Further, in the present specification, an operation other than the gesture operations as such will be described as a touch operation. The touch operation means an operation of detecting a user's request based on the position of operation by the user on the touch-panel display. A representative example of the touch operation is an operation of the user pressing a position of an item (pressing a software button) displayed on the touch-panel display.
In an MFP provided with a touch-panel display allowing both touch operation and gesture operation as an operation panel, it is possible for a user to adjust settings related to various image processing operations such as margin size, and make settings for finish, including stamping, stapling and punching. If such a finish function or functions are set for printing, the user cannot confirm the finished form until he/she obtains the result of actual printing. Therefore, it is not unusual that a user sets a finish with punched holes and when actually printed, the output is a failed copy having images overlapped with the positions of holes to be punched. This leads to waste of consumables (toner and recording paper).
In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-188054 (hereinafter referred to as '054 Reference) discloses an image forming apparatus in which a preview image of a finished form is displayed before actually printing a copy, allowing the user to change print setting as necessary.
The image forming apparatus includes: an image data input unit inputting image data; an image storage unit storing sample image data in advance; a tentative finished form information generating unit generating tentative finished form information expected when setting is done based on various pieces of setting information on the sample image data; an input screen image information generating unit generating input screen image information including setting process items for receiving various setting inputs related to the tentative finished form information; a display unit displaying the tentative finished form information and the input screen image based on the input screen image information; a setting unit outputting the contents of setting inputs received through the input screen image to the tentative finished form information generating unit, to realize the setting; and a copying unit executing the process for copying the image data input through the image data input unit, based on the tentative finished form information.
In the image forming apparatus, various items are set on the input screen image provided in accordance with the input screen image information and the tentative finished form information based on the sample image data. The tentative finished form information reflecting the setting is displayed on the display unit. Therefore, pre-scanning of a document becomes unnecessary, and hence the process of setting various items can be done at higher speed.
Further, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-345506 (hereinafter referred to as '506 Reference) discloses a technique related to the gesture operation described above, in which when page collection is to be done to form an image, arrangement of pages is determined in accordance with a trajectory of the user's finger moved pressing on the touch-panel display.
As described above, various electronic devices as represented by the image forming apparatus and an image processing apparatus include a touch-panel display as an operation console. By the touch operation (position of pressing by the user on the touch-panel display) and the gesture operation (trajectory of pressing by the user on the touch-panel display) as described above to the touch-panel display (one operation device), user's request can be input. According to '054 Reference, touch-operation is exclusively used, while in '506 Reference, gesture operation is used in addition to the touch operation.
As regards the touch-panel display, some users are good at touch operations, some users are good at gesture operations, some may not be accustomed to the touch operations and others may not be accustomed to the gesture operation. In other words, preferable operation differs user by user. Further, it is often the case that pieces of information displayed on the touch-panel display are different on a screen image asking a touch operation by the user and on a screen image asking a gesture operation by the user. Considering an image forming apparatus shared by a large number of users, from the viewpoint of preference or accessibility of the user with respect to operations, it is preferred that a plurality of operation methods (touch operation/gesture operation) are prepared for one operation device (touch-panel display).
Such a configuration, however, may rather impair the operability, since a plurality of operations are prepared for selecting one command. Particularly, if different screen images are displayed for a touch operation and gesture operation and the preferred operation by the user does not match the display on the touch-panel display, the user would be confused. In addition, when a plurality of operation methods are prepared, the number of items to be displayed on the touch-panel display tends to be too large, or the number of image transitions may be undesirably increased, possibly lowering operability.
Regarding such a problem, '504 Reference simply discloses a technique of allowing print setting by a touch operation and displaying a preview using a sample image. Though gesture operation is disclosed in '506 Reference, this reference does not disclose a user interface considering the operation preference of the user.
More specifically, both '504 Reference and '506 Reference are silent about changing the manner of display based on a user operation to facilitate the next operation by the user, or changing the manner of display to facilitate the user to confirm the result of operation.